Agenda item

1.    Mr Watkins, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, gave a verbal update on the following:

a.    Mr Watkins shared KCC had been awarded a 5.4% increase for 2025/26 from the Government. There were challenges as a result of the budget, the Government had set an above inflation NHS pay award which affected the cost of delivery for NHS trust public health programmes. There was an increase in employers National Insurance and National Minimum Wage which had affected the cost base of the voluntary sector of public health services. Additionally, general inflation had increased to 3% which challenged the cost of delivering services.

b.    Mr Watkins noted the Covid Day of Reflection, which marked five years since the beginning of the global pandemic, KCC had set up a digital memory wall to remember those affected by the pandemic.

c.     National No Smoking Day was on 13^th March 2025, the theme was ‘Take Your Life Back’. KCC were offering free support methods such as guidance on the Allen-Carr method, Mr Watkins noted that Kent had 150,000 smokers.

d.    Mr Watkins explained that KCC had launched a free 24/7 support for expectant and new parents, there was a confidential helpline and text service available.

e.    The Batton of Hope tour was to come through Kent, Kent and Medway had extended the application time for baton bearers.

2.    Dr Anjan Ghosh, Director of Public Health, gave a verbal update on the following:

a.    In reference to the Covid Day of Reflection, Dr Ghosh noted that public health was at the nationwide forefront of managing efforts to manage the pandemic. COVID-19 activity had decreased in the South East across all indicators. Hospital admissions for confirmed cases had decreased, which stood at 43% at the most recent peak, in September 2024.

b.    Influenza cases had decreased, vaccinations in front line health care workers in South East stood at 40.9% which was higher than the national average. Respiratory Syncytial Viruses (RSV) had decreased amongst most indicators, vaccination coverage in the South East for those aged 75 to 79 years of age was the highest in the county at 55.9% which was higher than national average.

c.     The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned of the high levels of Norovirus and the possibility of a second wave due to various circulating genotypes. The largest impacts were seen in the health and social care settings, the reporting remained high nationally and among all age groups, the worst effected were those aged 65 and over. Newsletters were being circulated within Kent to care homes to reinforce the message of prevention against norovirus.

d.    Dr Ghosh was a keynote speaker at the UK Research Development National Summit which focused on how research innovation improvement could be done within local authorities.

e.    A conference was to take place on the 22^nd March 2025, which focused on alcohol related brain injuries. The conference aimed to bring clinicians from Kent together to work together for best practice.

3.    In response to comments and questions it was said:

a.    Mr Watkins was to share the figure for how many baton bearers were still needed with Committee Members.

b.    Dr Ghosh confirmed that the social media campaigns were having a positive impact on decreasing the number of norovirus cases.

RESOLVED that the verbal updates were noted.